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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24265744">The Window to the Living</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowstar826/pseuds/Glowstar826'>Glowstar826</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afterlife, Angst, Battle of Hogwarts, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Canon Compliant, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Evil Voldemort (Harry Potter), Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Gen, Good Albus Dumbledore, Good Severus Snape, Hagrid - Freeform, Harry Potter - Freeform, Harry Potter Lives, Heaven, Humor, James Potter is a Good Friend, Lily Evans Potter &amp; Severus Snape Friendship, Living, Love, Mentor Albus Dumbledore, No Bashing, No Dumbledore Bashing, No James Potter Bashing, No Slash, No Smut, No Snape Bashing, POV Severus Snape, POV Third Person, Second War with Voldemort, War, Window, voldemort - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:20:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24265744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowstar826/pseuds/Glowstar826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Severus Snape finally succumbs to his venomous injuries and wakes up in the afterlife, he meets an old friend and discovers a most peculiar window.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Albus Dumbledore &amp; Severus Snape, James Potter &amp; Severus Snape, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans Potter &amp; Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Window to the Living</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N: Hello! This is my VERY FIRST Harry Potter fanfic (which is centered around my absolute favorite character: Snape!). Hopefully, this is enjoyable and detailed enough to fit your standards. It should be obvious that I don't own Harry Potter, or else you'd be paying for this story. All jokes aside, there are some quotes that come directly from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Please rate, review, and enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A blinding, white light met Severus’s cold, blank, seemingly dead eyes. Severus blinked them a bit, adjusting to the new environment. He sighed. So. Nagini’s venom finally killed him. He was done. Pity. In retrospect, he <em> really </em> should’ve carried an anti-venom on his person. Never mind, the blood loss would’ve killed him anyways. It was a lose-lose situation.</p><p>Hopefully, Potter would actually <em> listen </em> to him for once in his life and view those damned memories. Otherwise, he just might <em> Avada Kedavra </em> himself into oblivion. That probably wouldn’t work, though, Severus realized. Wasn’t he already dead? All frustrations and hatred aside, Severus had an underlying confidence that the boy would (finally) listen to him. Potter certainly wasn’t quite the headstrong, careless boy Severus had met seven years prior to his untimely demise. He came to <em> his </em> aid, for Merlin’s sake! When he didn’t even disclose his true loyalties! That boy was a <em> very </em> forgiving and compassionate one, indeed. He was so similar to his mother. How <em> could </em> he have compared this child to his father when he possessed almost <em> none </em> of his qualities? Severus mentally kicked himself. Hard.</p><p>The former spy propped himself up on his elbows, for he was laying down on his back. He surveyed his surroundings. He seemed to be in the park where he and Lily first met, except everything about it was white. The grass, the swings, and even the tree was white. It gave Severus a nice sense of cleanliness he hadn’t felt in a long time. He immediately felt his robe pockets and found his wand.</p><p>Cautiously, he stood up. He looked around. Then, he breathed in. Deeply. For once, in his entire <em> bloody </em> life, he could breathe. He could breathe without having the fear that Voldemort would find out his true loyalties and subject him to an all but painful torture. He could breathe without having to constantly keep his Occlumency shields in check. He could breathe without having to endure all of his former colleagues’ pure hatred towards him for his “betrayal.” He could breathe without constantly worrying about the life of a single boy whom <em> he </em>was responsible for putting in danger in the first place. No. Now, he could just simply breathe. Severus didn’t realize how all of those hardships and responsibilities he was enduring were slowly taking a toll on him until now. He felt...what was the word? Free. He felt free.</p><p>Severus decided to take a little walk around the park. He removed his robes. He unbuttoned his overshirt, but he kept it on like a jacket. His white undershirt, he noticed, didn’t even have a speck of the usual dirt which caked his undergarment most days. He set his black robes down in a neat little pile on the ground. It was at this moment that he realized that he didn’t check to see if his Dark Mark remained. He hastily pulled up his left sleeve and sighed in relief. His left forearm was as pure as it once was twenty-two years ago, the year before he had the Dark Mark ingrained into him. Subconsciously, he felt his neck. It was as pure as ever. No snake bite. That’s when Severus got an idea.</p><p>He immediately took off his shirt and his undershirt and looked for the scars he had acquired from his childhood abuse. There were none, evidently. He looked down at his bare torso in awe. He tried feeling his back the best he could and also felt his shoulders. They were as smooth as his neck. He quickly put his undershirt and shirt back on. Being dead was actually nice, Severus concluded.</p><p>Severus walked slowly towards the huge tree from where he once spied on Lily and Petunia, and he ran his bare hand against the bark reverently as the happy memories flooded through his mind like a tsunami. He looked at the lake where he and Lily used to lay in front of to gaze at the clouds. If only he could relive those memories one last time, he’d be alright. Lily’s young, curious voice rang in his head as he remembered explaining every aspect of the Wizarding World to her. Oh, how he had hoped that she would’ve been sorted in Slytherin alongside him. But alas, that was clearly not to be. Now that Severus thought about his childish wishes of the past, he scoffed aloud to himself. Lily was never meant to be a Slytherin. Ever. She was much too reckless, and (dare he say it?) hot-headed for it.</p><p>He walked around the lake to find the small swing set he and Lily played on as young children. Rolling his eyes, he decided he could use a little bit of childish glee right now. He sat on the swing and he pushed off. Gradually, his momentum got larger and larger. Soon enough, he was swinging up and down at full force. Severus was so absorbed in his newfound freedom that he even let out a laugh of pure joy. He was finally free from his loyalties. Free from taking orders. Free from everything!</p><p>Severus’s eyes welled with tears at his newfound joy, and he stopped swinging. As the swing lost its momentum, he realized that he couldn’t really remember the last time he was purely happy. He was always focused on keeping his mean streak up, maintaining his cruel reputation, keeping his mind blocked off from the Dark Lord—</p><p>“This is probably the first time that I’ve seen you genuinely smile, Severus.”</p><p>Severus looked up. His face instantly reddened out of embarrassment. Albus Dumbledore was probably watching him the whole time.</p><p>“Hello, Albus,” he greeted nonchalantly.</p><p>“Do you know why you’re here?”</p><p>Severus contemplated his answer to the question. He honestly didn’t know what he did to get to such an idyllic and happy place, so he replied, “No.”</p><p>“Really? You have spent nearly two decades spying for the betterment of this world, Severus. You’ve done an unimaginable amount of good.”</p><p>“I also stupidly joined the Death Eaters, encouraged my so-called friends’ wrong-doings, watched people die without my intervention, and inadvertently caused the death of the one woman I loved the most. Not only that, but the only reason why I even changed sides was because Lily was in danger. It was self-serving. It wasn’t for the ‘betterment of this world’. So, I’ll ask you this, Albus. Why <em> am </em> I here?”</p><p>Dumbledore had that familiar twinkle in his piercing blue eyes as he peered at his former colleague through his half-moon glasses.</p><p>“Listen to me. Any normal person would have most likely lost all hope once the only person they ever loved has died. You didn’t, Severus. Did you?”</p><p>“I did at first. I wished for myself to die. You just convinced me otherwise.”<br/>
<br/>
“That isn’t the point, my dear boy. The point is that you ultimately changed sides for one thing, and that is love. And love has a powerful, ancient type of power, Severus. Lily’s sacrifice protected Harry from being harmed by using the power of love to permanently establish a protection that Voldemort couldn’t ever hope to penetrate. You see, Tom never figured out that you switched sides because he never understood the one thing you fought for: love.”</p><p>“Is <em> that </em> why I’m here?” Severus asked. “Just because I switched sides for a self-serving purpose, I end up in a perfect, serene, harmless environment?”</p><p>Dumbledore walked closer. He placed a hand on Severus’s shoulder. “You did so much more than just ‘switch sides’, Severus. You risked your life to protect the child of your worst enemy. That in itself is one of the hardest things anybody can do.”</p><p>“But I mentally abused the child and relentlessly bullied him. I made sure that he knew I hated him so that he’d hate me back.”</p><p>“You sacrificed so <em> much </em>, my dear boy. Can’t you understand? Come with me, Severus. There is something that I must show you.”</p><p>Severus slowly got up from the swing and soon fell into step behind his former headmaster and colleague. He saw a golden light in the distance.</p><p>“What is that?” Severus asked, pointing to the strange light.</p><p>“Why don’t you go see for yourself, Severus?”</p><p>Severus crept closer to the source of this peculiar golden beam. Once he got close enough, he saw that it was-- what <em> was </em> it, actually? He saw the Forbidden Forest through an odd circle of pure, golden light. It was almost like a window to the living.</p><p>He saw Potter on the ground, unmoving. So, the Dark Lord killed him. But, wait. Why was Narcissa Malfoy walking over to him? She knelt down, and...what <em>was</em> she doing, exactly? If she was verifying his death, it shouldn’t take longer than a few seconds. But, she stayed there for a good ten or so seconds. No. The boy couldn’t be alive. Could he?</p><p>“Severus, my boy. What is it that you see?”</p><p>“Hagrid’s carrying the boy’s body through the Forbidden Forest. Isn’t it obvious, Albus?”</p><p>“Not quite, Severus. You see, it seems that Harry has survived the Killing Curse for the second time since he was but a small one-year-old child.”</p><p>Severus whipped around. “Wh-<em> What?! </em>” he stammered.</p><p>“Why don’t you take a look? And, if you don’t mind, I’d like to join you.”</p><p>Severus, once again, turned back around and saw that Hagrid finally arrived in front of the castle. He saw the two crowds: the side of the Light, and the side of the Dark. He soon felt Dumbledore’s warmth and presence ebbing away from his left.</p><p>He heard Voldemort announcing that Potter was finally dead. Severus’s face scrunched up in disgust when he heard the Dark Lord actually having the <em> audacity </em> to ask Longbottom if he wanted to join his side. His parents were <em> tortured </em> by Death Eaters, and now the Dark Lord asks if Longbottom wants to join the Dark side. Severus scoffed to himself, shaking his head at Voldemort’s stupidity.</p><p>Hagrid laid Potter down carefully on the grass. Then, Severus saw the boy swiftly pulling out his Invisibility Cloak from his robes and covering himself with it. In an instant, he was missing from the view. Severus let out a small gasp.</p><p>“So, the boy lives,” he breathed out.</p><p>“Yes, my boy. And I have you to thank for that,” Dumbledore replied.</p><p>Severus noticed that Longbottom pulled out the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat. In a swift motion, he sliced off that damned snake’s head.</p><p>“I believe that now, Voldemort is a mere mortal. Isn’t that right, Severus?” Dumbledore asked </p><p>“Yes,” Severus replied. “I have also been avenged, it seems. Longbottom isn’t as incompetent as I thought.”</p><p>“He was never incompetent, Severus. After he got a new wand, his performance improved significantly. Did you not notice?”</p><p>All Severus had to reply to that was a snort. He crossed his arms.</p><p>“<em>Protego! </em>” the pair heard from the window.</p><p>“It seems that Harry has finally revealed himself,” Dumbledore commented.</p><p>“Finally, this bloody war will end,” Severus replied, relieved. The two former colleagues peered at the window as if they were looking into a Pensieve.</p><p>Potter and Voldemort started circling each other as if they were prowling cats, ready to pounce. The boy told Voldemort of his misdeeds and mistakes, and then what he said next caught Severus by surprise.</p><p>“<em>Severus Snape wasn’t yours </em> ,” Severus heard Potter say. “ <em> Snape was Dumbledore’s, Dumbledore’s from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can’t understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle? </em>” Potter continued.</p><p>“<em>Snape’s Patronus was a doe, the same as my mother’s, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized he asked you to spare her life, didn’t he? </em>”</p><p>“<em>He desired her, that’s all </em> ,” Severus heard Voldemort sneer. That made Severus’s insides squirm. Who did Voldemort think Severus was? A man who didn’t have any values, any morals? How could Voldemort imply that Severus merely... <em> lusted </em>...after his only friend? That in itself was filthy on so many different levels.</p><p>Voldemort and Potter continued their exchange, and Severus, once again, perked up when he heard what Potter said next.</p><p>“<em>Aren’t you listening? </em> ” Severus heard Potter cry. “Snape never beat Dumbledore! <em> Dumbledore’s death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand’s last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand’s power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him! </em>”</p><p>“<em>But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand! I stole the wand from its last master’s tomb! I removed it against its last master’s wishes! Its power is mine! </em>”</p><p>“<em>You still don’t get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn’t enough! Holding it using it, doesn’t make it really yours. Didn’t you listen to Ollivander? </em> The wand chooses the wizard. <em> The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world’s most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance… </em>”</p><p>“Is Potter saying that <em> Voldemort wrongfully killed me?! </em> ” Severus asked in disbelief. “I could be <em> alive </em> if the Dark Lord wasn’t so blind!”</p><p>“Severus, your Dark Mark is no longer there, I’m presuming? Surely, you don’t need to address him as ‘The Dark Lord’ any longer, do you?”</p><p>“I suppose not, Albus. He’s <em> hardly </em> a <em> lord </em> if his skull is so <em> thick </em>,” Severus sneered.</p><p>Dumbledore looked at him. “You never used to criticize him so, Severus. Why now?”   </p><p>“I didn’t do so in fear I’d be found out and my cover would be blown. Now, he’s a mere mortal, as you said. Also, I’m dead. It wouldn’t really matter. The real problem is this. Albus, do you remember exactly what happened the night I killed you?”</p><p>Dumbledore nodded slowly. “Yes...why, Draco Disarmed me.” Dumbledore’s face fell. “Draco Dis<em> armed </em> me...which means <em> he </em>is...oh, no.” Dumbledore had a somber expression. “Voldemort will kill him. How did my plan go wrong like this?”</p><p>“There’s nothing we can do now, Albus. We should listen,” Severus said. “It’s unfortunate what young Malfoy has to face now, but it’s out of our hands.”</p><p>“Wisely said, Severus. I couldn’t have said it better.” They tuned into the exchange once more.</p><p>“<em> The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy. </em>”</p><p>“<em> But what does it matter? Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand. We duel on skill alone, and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy-- </em>”</p><p>“<em>But you’re too late. You missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him.</em>” Potter paused. “<em>So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does...I am the true master of the Elder Wand.</em>”</p><p>At this, both Severus and Dumbledore let out a gasp. “Harry’s got guaranteed survival, then. If what he says is true, then--” Dumbledore was cut off when he suddenly saw a red beam and a green beam of light hit each other.</p><p>Severus pinched his nose and sighed. “Honestly. <em> Why </em> can’t you just cast <em> Avada Kedavra </em> ? If you don’t want to kill so <em> badly </em> , at least use the bloody Stunning Charm! Don’t use bloody <em> Expelliarmus </em> on one of the darkest wizards to plague the Wizarding World!” He sighed a second time. “Sometimes that child will never learn…” he muttered to himself. But Dumbledore heard this last bit, and he commented on it. </p><p>“If I’m not mistaken, Severus, <em> you </em> were the one who taught him Expelliarmus.”</p><p>Severus looked at Dumbledore with a face that betrayed pure confusion. “How? I didn’t teach Defense Against the Dark Arts until Potter’s sixth year.”</p><p>“Remember when Gilderoy Lockhart taught the subject? In 1992?"</p><p>“Yes, I do,” Severus replied, nodding slowly.</p><p>“If I’m not mistaken, you told me you used Expelliarmus on poor Gilderoy during the first Dueling Club meeting.”</p><p>“Yes, I did. That was when I found out Potter spoke Parseltongue.” Severus looked deep in thought. Then, he reached an epiphany. “After all these years of complaining that Potter was unteachable, that he was incompetent...I find out that I inadvertently taught him something when I was trying to get Lockhart to make a fool of himself.” Severus sighed, shaking his head. “Pity I didn’t realize this earlier.”</p><p>“Not only that, but you taught him his signature spell, if you will.”</p><p>Severus scoffed. “Let’s just watch.”</p><p>The two tuned into the exchange just in time to see the Killing Curse be rebounded onto Voldemort, finally ridding the world of the monster who terrorized the Wizarding World.</p><p>“I believe we can go now, Severus.” Dumbledore started walking away. Once again, Severus fell into step behind his former colleague. Once they were far enough, Dumbledore looked at Severus and said, “Well? What do you make of it?”</p><p>“Potter isn’t as incompetent or as arrogant as I thought. He’s very brave for a boy his age.”</p><p>“Yes, Severus. He managed to save the entire Wizarding World. That must count for something.”</p><p>Severus stood there for a while in deep thought. He thought of every single time the boy irked him, annoyed him, and defied him. Then, he thought about the very first day he met the Boy-Who-Lived. Potter--no, <em> Harry </em> --was actually trying to write down what he was lecturing about. He was genuinely interested to learn, Severus realized. But instead of seeing that, he decided to embarrass the boy on their first meeting. He (reluctantly) admitted to himself that that was a mistake. The boy’s hatred for him was all his doing (again, he reluctantly admitted this). Now he thought about all of his encounters with the child whom he once loathed. He guessed he no longer <em> loathed </em> the child, per se, but he just merely disliked him. But then he thought of his dislike, and he asked himself, <em> Why am I disliking a child who did nothing wrong? </em> But the child <em> did </em> do wrong, didn’t he? He carelessly put his life in danger to prevent others from getting hurt. He didn’t tell any adults if he needed any sort of help. He always relied on Granger and Weasley to help him through his troubles. But then his thoughts circled back to how Harry was always willing to sacrifice himself for his friends-- <em> just like how Lily died for him </em>. Severus sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and he turned to Dumbledore.</p><p>“You were right, Albus,” Severus finally conceded after seven years. “Harry is very much like his mother. But there’s nothing I can do now, can I? The damage is done.”</p><p>“My dear boy, there’s always a way to rectify your mistakes. I must leave now, but I can assure you that we’ll talk again soon. Goodbye, Severus.” Dumbledore held out his hand. Severus reached out slowly. He grasped the no longer blackened hand that had plagued the headmaster just a year before his death with apprehension. Unexpectedly, Dumbledore pulled Severus into a bone-crushing hug.</p><p>Severus stiffened while his eyes widened, not knowing what to do, so he awkwardly returned the embrace. He felt his former mentor patting him on the back.</p><p>“You did so much, Severus. I can’t thank you enough.”</p><p>“You were the one who offered me protection all those years ago, Albus,” Severus replied monotonically. “You probably knew the whole time that Harry would survive, didn’t you?”</p><p>Dumbledore pulled away and placed a hand on Severus’s shoulder. “I’ll tell you what I told Harry. I guessed, but my guesses are pretty good.”</p><p>“I guess this is where we part ways, Albus. I hope to talk to you again soon.”</p><p>“Likewise. And, one more thing. You see that house over there?”</p><p>Suddenly, a brown, two story house not unlike Severus’s own appeared. “Yes. I see one now.”</p><p>“There’s someone in there who’s very eager to see you. You should take a look. Goodbye for now, Severus.” Then, Dumbledore walked away and disappeared behind a mist.</p><p>After a few moments, Severus decided that he’d explore the house that Dumbledore told him to go to. He walked towards the house, wondering who could possibly want to see him. <em> Maybe Lily is in there </em>, Severus thought. It was a possibility. Who else would possibly want to see him?</p><p>Going up on the front porch, cringing as he heard the wood creaking with every step he took, he cautiously placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it ever so slowly…</p><p>Severus pushed the door open with little effort and took in his surroundings. He hadn’t been in his own house for the longest time (since he hated the place). After his father died, he completely renovated the house. He set up a potions lab in the extra guest room and a library in the living room. He cleaned up the place and eliminated the reeking smell of alcohol that always plagued his nostrils during his childhood. He fixed the leaking roof and the rotting wood that his parents had failed to fix (since they lived in poverty). In a few words, he made the house presentable and liveable. </p><p>“Hello?” Severus called out, for he saw no one inside. He jumped slightly as he heard creaking coming from upstairs. <em>Wait-- </em>why<em> is someone upstairs? In </em>my house<em>, no less?</em></p><p>“I can hear you upstairs, whoever you are!” Severus shouted. “Show yourself!”</p><p>Severus saw someone coming down the stairs, and he immediately tensed. The perpetually messy raven-black hair, accompanied with what anyone else would describe as an award-winning smile, and the dorkiest, most circular glasses in existence, all added up to one person: James Potter. Severus tried to keep himself from lashing out as Potter senior trotted down the stairs as if he was the visitor and not the other way around.</p><p>“Potter,” Severus greeted icily.</p><p>“Snape,” Potter returned.</p><p>“Why are you here?” Severus crossed his arms.</p><p>“I could ask you the same thing."</p><p>“Wha--but this is <em> my </em> house, <em> my </em> home!” the former spy sputtered out.</p><p>“I didn’t expect you to get here so soon, is all I’m saying,” Potter replied indifferently, leaning against the wall. “We <em> are </em> dead, y’know.”</p><p>“If you <em> must </em> ask, I died at the hands of that damned snake! That <em> fool </em> ! Voldemort craved so much <em> power </em> that he didn’t even <em> think </em> about what he was doing. He was blind!” He proceeded to mock Voldemort’s last departing words to his former rival, as he felt it didn’t really matter at this point. Severus was still seething at the fact that Voldemort killed him because of a simple error in judgement.</p><p>“Ha! At least <em> I </em> died in a more dignified way.” Potter smiled the toothiest smile to plague Severus’s whole existence.</p><p>Severus decided to ignore what he just saw and pushed on the point of his original question. “But Potter. <em> Why </em> are you in my house?”</p><p>“Isn’t it obvious?” Potter asked a bit too cheerfully. He wiggled his eyebrows.</p><p>“<em> What </em> ? Do you expect me to figure out why <em> you </em> , of all people, decide it’s suddenly <em> okay </em> to try and hold a civilized conversation with the one person you belittled, bullied, teased, hexed, and <em> humiliated </em> for all of his years at Hogwarts? Not to mention the person whom you disgustingly nicknamed ‘ <em> Snivellus </em> ’ and the person whom you <em> nearly killed </em>?”</p><p>Potter held his hands up in surrender, probably realizing he might have overstepped his boundaries. “Look, Snape, I know I’ve acted like scum to you, and I’m sorry--”</p><p>Severus’s face contorted with confusion and perplexion. “You’re <em> sorry </em>?”</p><p>“Let me finish! As I was saying, I’m sorry, but the Shrieking Shack incident was all Sirius’s doing! I <em> saved </em>your arse, for crying out loud! C’mon!”</p><p>Severus pinched his nose and muttered to himself, “I’m not going to lash out, I’m not going to act childish, I’m not going to lash out… there.” Severus ended his mutterings with a satisfied sigh. His voice was silkily smooth as he reiterated his question.</p><p>“Potter. I will ask you one last time. Why. Are. You. In. My. House?”</p><p>Potter looked like he was cursed with Weasley’s slug-vomiting curse. “To, well, say... thanks?” He immediately started looking at a very interesting pair of boots adorned by Severus’s feet.</p><p>Severus, on the other hand, looked like he'd just seen Harry Potter brew an Outstanding potion. “<em> Thanks </em> ? You came here to say <em> thanks </em> ? What in Merlin’s beard did <em> I </em> do to earn James bloody Potter’s <em> thanks </em>? I recall the last time you came to me, I was just ‘a greasy old git who shouldn’t exist’ if I remember correctly,” Severus ended with a sneer.</p><p>Potter looked flustered. “Look! I <em> said </em>I was sorry for treating you like scum! I just came here because I’m grateful you protected my son! I wanted to thank you for protecting Harry! I honestly didn’t think you’d do that after I died!”</p><p>Severus’s expression immediately softened. “You’re grateful to <em> me </em> ? For protecting your son? I <em> hardly </em> treated him like I was supposed to. I honestly thought I’d have to endure Lily’s wrath.</p><p>“I know. She can be the feisty one. Hey, um, can I call you Severus? Since we’re not really ripping each other’s throats or anything?” Potter finished apprehensively.</p><p>Severus rolled his eyes. “Fine. Which means I’ll have to call you James,” he added. A few moments passed as the former rivals stood awkwardly in the silence which followed. Suddenly, James stuck out his hand.</p><p>“Truce, Severus?” James looked a bit hopeful.</p><p>Severus glanced furtively at the outstretched hand. After contemplating James’s offer, he took it.</p><p>“Truce, James.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A/N: Hopefully, you enjoyed this one-shot! I certainly enjoyed writing it! Be sure to expect more from me as I progress in my journey as a fanfiction writer. If you want a sequel to this, just PM me. It doesn't matter if it's one response or one hundred. I'll write the sequel. You'll see. You won't even see it coming. Please rate and review, and you all have a lovely day!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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